Sagittaria trifolia tuber: bioconstituents, processing, products, and health benefits

Sagittaria trifolia is an aquatic plant that is distributed worldwide. The edible tuber part of S. trifolia is a very common and popular vegetable in China. The aim of the present review is to discuss the discovery of nutraceuticals from S. trifolia tuber by reviewing its major constituents, food processing, food products, and health-promoting benefits. Sagittaria trifolia tuber comprises a series of nutritional and bioactive constituents, including dietary fibers, amino acids, minerals, starches, non-starch polysaccharides, diterpenoids, colchicine, phenols, and organic acids. Food processing affects its flavor, biocomponents, and bioactivity. Numerous S. trifolia tuber-based food products and nutraceuticals have been developed, but new categories of products and the anticipated functions still need to be explored. The non-starch polysaccharides could be the central ingredients that contribute to the plant's antioxidant, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic, lipid-regulating, and immunostimulatory properties. Of these, antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects have been thoroughly investigated. Procedures for the extraction and purification of polysaccharides influence their health-promoting actions. Overall, S. trifolia tuber is an underutilized aquatic vegetable species that is an emerging subject for nutraceutical research. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.